The Foundation said that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Meshcheryakov family was in Mariupol. The defender himself defended the city from the water, patrolling the waters of the Sea of Azov, and over time carried out tasks directly in the city and participated in street battles.
During one of the battles, Roman received his first serious injury – he had nine broken ribs. During the breakthrough to Azovstal, as a result of mortar fire, he lost part of his arm and was operated on in the field.
After leaving Azovstal, Meshcheryakov was captured, where he remained for six weeks. On June 29, 2022, he was released during the first exchange of wounded military personnel.
After rehabilitation, the defender actively participates in sports, participates in veterans' competitions and trains to work as a mentor on post-traumatic growth and help his brothers-in-arms. In particular, Roman is a mentor in the sports circles of the Heart of Azovstal.
“I realized that life is not over, I need to move on. And not just live. And if I managed to overcome myself like this, then with my experience I can set an example for other guys who find themselves in the same situation,” the press service quotes him as saying.
The press release notes that the defender tested for himself how peer-to-peer support works. He calls his acquaintance with his brother-in-law Sergei Dubov, who brought him into veteran sports and together with whom they now help other defenders and defenders, an important stage in his growth.
It was sport, according to Roman, that became for him one of the most important tools for post-traumatic growth.
“My motivation for becoming a PTR coach is to ensure that as many brothers-in-arms as possible believe that life continues to exist, even with the injuries they have. But life does not end there and continues,” admitted Meshcheryakov.
